Finding your ideal role
In numerous surveys that Gallup has undertaken over the years in Australia, the UK, US and Canada, a remarkably consistent set of results regarding the level of staff engagement shows up. The data indicates that between 60% and 70% of staff are typically “disengaged” which means that they’ll go to work, do what they have to do, but derive little pleasure or personal satisfaction from this and hence unlikely to go the extra mile in achieving their objectives. Worse still, 10% to 15% of staff are “actively disengaged” which means that they are actually working against the best interests of the business. This implies that perhaps as little as 15% of staff are really engaged in what they are doing (and hence more likely to be productive) at work! Imagine what productivity improvements we could achieve with an increase of just a few percentage points in employee engagement!
So why is the situation so bad? Here are some possible reasons for this:
· We have qualifications and/or experience in a particular domain and feel that we aren’t suitably qualified or experienced to do anything else.
· Allied to the above, we have personal and financial commitments which prevent us from taking the risk of making a significant change.
· We have got into a rut and perhaps taken the view “better the devil you know”.
· Perhaps we believe that going to work is what you do to earn money to pay the bills and take the occasional holiday, but actually loving what you do is a luxury that few of us can afford.
The reality, however, is that all the above are self-limiting beliefs and it is quite possible to love what you do and find you “ideal role”. Here are some steps to help you do this in practice:
1. Consider your passion.
What do you really love doing? I don’t mean what you are necessarily good at, but rather what gives you a true sense of personal satisfaction, purpose or self-fulfillment? They say that if you love what you do, then you never work another day in your life. You may not be able to apply this directly, but if there is a role that contains a good part of this, then it may be worth considering.
2. Review what your core skill set really is.
For example, you may have trained as an electrical apprentice, but if you love solving problems logically, then consider other roles where the ability to problem-solve can also be well applied. Perhaps you love working with people or are good at inspiring others – there are so many roles where demonstrable people skills are so vital.
3. Understand your core values.
Irrespective of whether the job aligns with your skills and abilities, if your core values don’t align with those of the organisation to which you belong, you won’t have an enjoyable long-term engagement with that employer. Values alignment is essential for you to feel that you are doing something worthwhile which is typically the number one reason why people stay in a role. It is worth spending the time to determine what your core values are, these are the things that you hold onto no matter what.
4. Learn how to apply for and get your ideal role.
In practical terms, this comes down to having a great resume, being able to write an attention-grabbing cover letter and nailing the interview. Obviously ,you can’t do the latter unless the former has got you in front of you prospective new employer and so it is worth investing in getting experienced people to help you prepare with all these aspects.
At OrgMent we have a great 6-part course to guide you though the above in more detail. Call Kris on 0412 399 001 to find out more!
Ian Ash ACC, AInstIB
Managing Director OrgMent Talent Solutions - ianash@ombs.com.au